Articles tagged with: careers

You’ve applied for tons of jobs for months and months but it just seems like a dead end because you never seem to get a response. Maybe your CV needs some work! Below are major tips to getting past the first stage of the interview process and creating a CV to impress your potential employer.

Contact details: This should be the first section of your CV and include your name, mobile number and email address. Some people take it a step further by adding a profile picture however this is completely optional and not a requirement.

Personal statement: A personal statement is like an introduction to who you are. It should be a summary that reflects your goals, skills, and ambitions. It explains what you can offer as an employee and what you are looking for. Keep it short, sweet and simple but make sure you outline why you are a suitable candidate for the role.

Work experience: This is obvious, you should list all your relevant work experience (including work placements, volunteering and apprenticeships) with the most recent going first. Make sure you use this section to its full capacity by going into specific details of what you have done in previous roles that makes you well equipped to work effectively in the role you are applying for. Include your job title, the name of the organization you worked at, the time of your post and your main responsibilities.

Education: In this section, you simply need to list and date all your previous and current professional and educational qualifications with your most recent going first.Skills and achievements: This is your chance to stand out and show how you may be different from other candidates. Do you speak other languages? Are you Prince2 certified? Have you raised money for a charity? If so, this is your time to brag about your proudest moments and attributes!

Hobbies and interests: This is an opportunity to show the employer a better idea of the type of person you are. Make your interests relevant to the job you are applying for, i.e. if you’re applying for a role with a fashion company, a great interest would be - ‘In my spare time, I love attending fashion shows and creating posts for my personal fashion blog’.

References: A lot of people opt out of providing the exact contact details of their references at this point and leave it till they’re requested at the interview or hiring stage. The decision to include these details on your CV is entirely up to you. If you choose to provide this information at a later stage of the hiring process you can simply write ‘reference available upon request’.

Here at TCHC, we run a range of programmes designed to put you on the path of employment. The programmes include services that can help you with your CV writing skills in order to present yourself in the best light possible to your future employer! Visit tchc.net today to learn more about all the support you can get in putting together the perfect CV. You can also check out our employment guide for tips and tricks.

When you’re at school you are constantly being asked what you want to do with your life. It can be really hard to side line the input from your parents, teachers and peers that say you should follow a particular path. How do you decide what is right for you; do you take the path for doing something you’re really passionate about?

A recent blog post looked at how to make a good impression at an interview and included a range of really useful tips. I’d like to follow on with the interview theme and consider one of the top 5 interview questions namely – Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

What does Kelly Holmes and Michael Owen got in common apart from the obvious that is?

Well they’ve both taken the icould.com/buzz test and they’re both Polar Bears! Or in personality terms they are strong and determined and enjoy being the boss. Polar Bears enjoy working independently and are happy in their own company.

It’s Easter and so we are bringing you a special career addition, this time talking about chocolate jobs.

You may not believe it, but there are plenty of jobs in what is a lucrative and increasingly expanding industry. Hotel Chocolat even has a dedicated course, the Diploma in Chocolate, teaching employees about chocolate production methods and customer service.

I think ‘having a plan’ is a phrase that either brings comfort to people who like to be organised or, alternatively, strikes fear in to those who like to ‘go with the flow’. People constantly wonder: What am I supposed to work towards? What if I change my mind? How do I do it? Why should I bother? These are all perfectly normal and understandable questions to ask.

I can’t tell you how many times I have had the “what career is right for me?” discussion with one of my 17 year old clients. The answers have ranged from a Vet - until she found out the intensity of some of the examinations she would have to do - to a Hairdresser, but then she decided that she didn’t want to stand up all day - to a photographer, because she likes taking “selfies”.

In reality there is only one person that can come to a real conclusion - YOU!